Gotland, Sweden for A History Fanatic's Dream (+ Really Good Fish & Chips)

I heard that no history fanatic’s trip to Sweden is complete without a hop (okay, a loooong jump) over to Gotland, with its over 100 early Goth churches, hundreds of ship graves, and nearly 500 remnants of the Iron and Bronze Ages. Someone captivated by all things old, I made my way over.

What I didn’t know is that Gotland has two more really interesting hidden gems: the ridiculously temperate weather (it’s also called the Island of Roses because the flowers sprout up regularly, even in December) and a stone maze, Trojeborg, in the northern part of the main city.

The locals were friendly. I learned about their very complicated relationship with tourism. Most feel that it’s a danger to the artifacts and ecosystem there, but tourism is also Gotland’s greatest form of income. Sort of made me feel intrusive and awkward enough to refrain from returning, but boy am I glad I went once!

Insider Tip

Go to Black Sheep Arms for a meal while in Visby. Best fish and chips, and really great service.